This is Eli Young Band

They have the No. 35 song on Bob Kingsley’s Top 40 Countdown, and the video for that single, “When It Rains,” is being aired on both CMT and GAC. They are the Eli Young Band.

Eight years in the making, the group has put together a 12-song CD that “paints even the difficult times in life with an underlying optimism,” a recent press release read.

The debut album, Jet Black and Jealous, will be available Sept. 16, and of course includes the current single, “When It Rains.” The members of the group are Mike Eli, vocalist; James Young, guitar; Jon Jones, bass, and Chris Thompson on drums.

The four weren’t sure initially what they had or where they were bound, the release said. But they knew they needed to keep pushing forward, that there was something special in their boundless mix of modern country and solid roots-rock inspirations.

Without the help of a major recording label, the group sold 40,000 albums and got their video aired on CMT and GAC. Now, with the manpower of Universal Republic and Universal Records South behind the band, their single is on its way to becoming the longest running single in chart history.(Professional photographs courtesy of Universal Records South)

“We live in the American Idol age,” the age of instant celebrity,” Young said. “But we grew up listening to bands that did the same thing we eventually did. That was all we knew; Go out and start playing.”

Eli adds, “we can stand up with our heads held high because we have a history and we’ve gone out there for eight years and worked really hard. Everything we’ve done so far, we’ve built ourselves. I think there’s something to be said for that, being able to have our story and being able to have a history as a band.

Be sure to visit the group’s MySpace page, by clicking on their name in blue above. There you will find now only “When It Rains,” but other Eli Young music you can listen to as well. I think you guys are really going to like this group. I really like them – and I think you guys will, too.

The Washington County Fair starts Monday, Sept. 8 – and I will definitely get that lineup and other fair information here for you all tomorrow. Have a great weekend – and remember to check out Eli Young Band – maybe we’ll see them at a fair in our area next fall!